Brazil is burning. From the Amazon rainforest to the Pantanal wetlands, flames have consumed millions of hectares of forest and farmland in recent weeks.
Nearly two-thirds of Latin America’s biggest country is under smoke.
According to data collected by satellites of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), a total of 188,623 fires have been identified in Brazil since the beginning of the year.
The total number for last year was 189,926.
The month of September 2024 has been the worst so far, with 61,572 fires recorded in 17 days compared to 46,498 for the whole of September 2023.
Brazil has been experiencing a prolonged drought since June 2023.
INPE researcher Karla Longo said that if the fire starters are not stopped, the blazes “will continue until it rains.”
“The rainy season is supposed to start in the second half of October… but it may be delayed due to extreme dryness and low atmospheric humidity,” added Ricardo de Camargo, a professor of meteorology at the University of Sao Paulo (USP).